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Family of chef slain in South Beach nightclub files lawsuit

The brother of a chef fatally shot in the VIP section at Mansion filed a wrongful death lawsuit Friday against the popular South Beach nightclub.

Antaun Teasley, 42, who cooked for professional athletes such as Miami Heat point guards Norris Cole and Mario Chalmers, was shot to death early Tuesday inside the Washington Avenue nightclub.

“There is an expectation that when you’re attending these nightclubs, they have security to ensure no one is bringing in firearms and, if there is a fight, that the parties are separated,” said Coral Gables lawyer Keith Pierro, who filed the lawsuit along with lawyer Philip Gold.

Teasley was slain after two groups of people began fighting. The shooting sparked a stampede of revelers running to escape the club.

Investigators are still trying to figure out how the shooter was able to get a firearm into a nightclub, where guns are banned by law.

The suit also alleges that Mansion boasts “an extensive history” of violent crime in and around the business.

The complaint was filed by the chef’s twin brother, Antwan Teasley. The suit names the companies that operate the club, Star Island Entertainment and Opium International. A spokeswoman for Mansion said she could not immediately comment on the suit.

Antaun Teasley was a popular figure among local athletes.

According to the complaint, hours before the shooting, Teasley had been at the swank Delano hotel with retired basketball legends Shaquille O’Neal and Gary Payton, as well as Rich Paul, the agent to Heat superstar LeBron James.

Teasley, a native of Cleveland, earned his culinary credentials in 2000, and has cooked for tennis superstar Serena Williams and hip-hop producer Timbaland.

Miami Beach police detectives are still searching for the shooter. The police department also said this week that Mansion’s cleaning crew unwittingly cleaned up the crime scene, possibly destroying potential evidence that could be valuable in solving the crime.

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